Vitalie Becker

ANALYSIS
Becker, a left-footed Bottrop native who has been at Schalke since the U9 level, broke through last season during the club's promotion run. He started the first 18 matches of the campaign before a yellow-card suspension and a later injury cost him part of the second half of the season. Becker finished with 21 second-division appearances, two goals and an assist. Sporting director Youri Mulder pointed to Becker's progress as a key reason for securing his long-term future, and the defender is now set to be part of Schalke's squad as the club returns to the Bundesliga. However, with the arrival of Robin Gosens, Becker will likely see limited minutes during the campaign.